Groundbreaking advances in molecular science, imaging and artificial intelligence are making it possible to detect cancer at its earliest stages, often before symptoms even appear.
The PREDICT Initiative (Prevention, Risk Assessment, Early Detection and Interception of Cancer through Technology) is here to meet this moment: bringing world-class clinical care together with innovative research in molecular science, data science, and AI, moving discoveries from the lab into real-world patient care.
Early Detection Saves Lives
40% of people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime
Nearly 50% of cancers are found at later stages
Many cancers can be prevented
PREDICT Initiative Pillars
PREDICT rests on five interconnected pillars, each designed to close a gap in how we detect, understand, and ultimately prevent cancer:
Pillar 1: High-Risk Screening Clinics
Advancing genomic testing, risk-based screening, and specialized clinical diagnostics for patients and families
Pillar 2: Unified Data and AI Analytics
Consolidating UC Health System EHR data with AI-driven analytics to uncover shared causes, parallels, and personalized therapies
Pillar 3: Early-Onset Cancer Resarch
Investigating the rising incidence of cancer in younger adults to identify emerging risk factors and biological mechanisms
Pillar 4: Environmental Risk Research
Examining environmental and exposure-related factors that contribute to cancer incidence across San Diego communities
Pillar 5: One Million San Diegans Screened
Delivering cancer screening at population scale across the greater San Diego region
Message from the Director
We now have the scientific tools to see cancer earlier than ever before, sometimes years before a tumor would show up on a scan. That's not a distant possibility. It's happening in labs and clinics today. Our job through the PREDICT Initiative is to take that science and put it directly into the hands of physicians and patients, as fast and as responsibly as we can.
Leadership
Ludmil Alexandrov, PhD
Scientific Director
Samir Gupta, MD
Clinical Director
Kiana Aran, PhD
Technology Director
Our Guiding Principles
Rigor
Every tool we develop is tested and validated to the highest scientific standards
Access
Early detection must work for everyone. We evaluate our tools across all patient populations
Translation
Research only matters if it reaches patients. Every program has a clear path to clinical care
Collaboration
No one institution can solve this alone. We partner across UC campuses and with institutions nationally and globally
Join Us
Whether you're a patient, a physician, or a potential collaborator, there's a place for you in this work. Learn more about our research programs, refer a patient, or partner with us to help bring earlier cancer detection to more people, faster.
CONTACT US